Sustainability-driven urban development in the reconstruction of post-conflict Aghdam, Azerbaijan

Abstract Post-conflict urban rehabilitation requires the repair of devastated physical infrastructure as well as the re-establishment of social functions, environmental systems and urban identity. This paper uses Aghdam, situated in the Karabakh economic region of southwestern Azerbaijan, as a case study of sustainability-driven urban development in near-tabula rasa conditions. This study applies an embedded mixed-methods case-study design combining document and policy analysis, spatial interpretation, site-based observations, and an exploratory stakeholder survey comprising 65 valid responses. The analysis is structured into five dimensions: master planning, energy-efficient urban design, green infrastructure and environmental sustainability, social sustainability and cultural identity and urban memory preservation. The findings suggest that Aghdam is being constructed not only as a site for physical reconstruction but also as a new urban paradigm in which spatial organization, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, social reintegration, and memorial sites are seen as interconnected elements of recovery. The Aghdam case illustrates that the long-term sustainability of cities in post-conflict settings depends not only on the physical reconstruction of the city, but also on the regeneration of the functional, social and symbolic foundations of urban life. This paper provides a case-based paradigm for understanding the operationalization of sustainability in post-conflict urban development, providing transferable insights for other cities facing extensive destruction and looking forward to recovery.